Eleanor Mayo
Eleanor Mayo (1920–1981) was an American novelist of the mid twentieth century. She lived most of her life on Mount Desert Island, Maine. She was raised in Southwest Harbor, Maine. She was the life companion of the well known Maine novelist Ruth Moore. Mayo was introduced to Moore in the summer of 1940 by the latter's sister who had been Mayo's high school teacher. Mayo accompanied Moore on her return to California. The two soon moved to New York City where they remained until returning permanently to Maine in 1947. Mayo published five novels during her life. Mayos's novel Turn Home was made into the 1950 film Tarnished.
Mayo was active in local politics holding several elected positions in Tremont, Maine. She was the first female selectman elected in Tremont, and later served many years as the town's tax assessor. Ruth Moore wrote of the stir caused by Mayo's election: "A great flurry it got in all the papers and on the radio, and all the old diehards and shellbacks in town, who think 'wimmen's fit fa one thing and that's all, by God,' are standing on their heads and spinning."
The house built in 1947 by Mayo and Moore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, recognizing their literary accomplishments. [from Wikipedia]
Eleanor Ruth Mayo died on January 30, 1981. Her executor, Ruth Moore, made a gift of Eleanor’s photographic collection in 1988.
The Eleanor R. Mayo Collection of more than 772 images consists of negatives, contact sheets and prints, many of which are photographic copies Eleanor made from various family collections belonging to Mount Desert Island residents, now long dead. Eleanor spent years on historical research that she compiled in the extensive indexes (Mayo Volume I and II) also part of the collection. [From Digital Archive record] All of these photographs are from the Southwest Harbor Public Library Digital Archive.
Mayo was active in local politics holding several elected positions in Tremont, Maine. She was the first female selectman elected in Tremont, and later served many years as the town's tax assessor. Ruth Moore wrote of the stir caused by Mayo's election: "A great flurry it got in all the papers and on the radio, and all the old diehards and shellbacks in town, who think 'wimmen's fit fa one thing and that's all, by God,' are standing on their heads and spinning."
The house built in 1947 by Mayo and Moore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, recognizing their literary accomplishments. [from Wikipedia]
Eleanor Ruth Mayo died on January 30, 1981. Her executor, Ruth Moore, made a gift of Eleanor’s photographic collection in 1988.
The Eleanor R. Mayo Collection of more than 772 images consists of negatives, contact sheets and prints, many of which are photographic copies Eleanor made from various family collections belonging to Mount Desert Island residents, now long dead. Eleanor spent years on historical research that she compiled in the extensive indexes (Mayo Volume I and II) also part of the collection. [From Digital Archive record] All of these photographs are from the Southwest Harbor Public Library Digital Archive.